11-year-old Dublin girl set ablaze in firebomb attack, court hears

An 11-year-old Dublin girl, who was visiting the house of Anne Joyce in Longford town with her brother and grandmother, was the victim of a petrol bomb attack in 2010.

Michaela Maughan was present at Anne Joyce’s home with her brother and grandmother when four men carrying baseball bats smashed the windows with shouts of “dirty, hairy Joyces, b*****ds," and “we’ve got you now,” writes the Sun.

Longford Circuit Criminal Court also heard that one of the men had a slash-hook, while two others had bottles with rags sticking out and lighters. It was one of these petrol bombs that hit Michaela where she was sitting on the couch and set her on fire. She was left with facial, arm, shoulder and chest scarring and lost part of her left ear.

Martin Nevin, 23, of Springlawn, Longford, pleaded guilty in March to damaging property and endangering life. Judge Tony Hunt remanded him in custody and adjourned the case to allow Nevin to make a further statement to the police.